Shoe stretcher



March 22, 1 932. 5 CAMPAGNA 1- L 1,850,339

SHOE STRETCHER Filed Oct. 28, 1930 FfQuZZE J [/VVfA/TOES A TTGR/VE/ Patented Mar. 22, 1932 1,850,339

UNITED STATES PATENT FF1E SALVATORE CAMPAGNA, JOSEPH ALESSE, AND BENJAMIN LAVIANO, or

'SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA SHOE STRETCHER Application filed. October 28, 1930. Serial No. 491,726.

It is one object of the invention to provide tion of the bottom 7 of the recess being para stretcher that will, permit the application allel with the face, and the sides of the recess of pressure to the sides and upper portion of having shoulders 8-8 formed thereon and the toe and adjoining parts simultaneously, sloping forwardly as shown to provide cam or to the side portions alone, as occasion may surfaces for the shoe hereinafter described. require, An opening 9 is formed in bottom 7 to permit It is another object of the invention to access to the shoe when in place. The upper provide a stretcher of the character indicated nd of portion 3 has a forwardly extending whereby means is provided for holdingthe shoulder 10 fOlIIlGCl thereon and is formed as 2:; laterally expanding elements true to their at 11 form P Of the b g f the so normal plane of movement, and means for operating handle, and as at 12 t0 18C61Ve the automatically and positively sealing the said l r 1 e1' 1nafter referred to. elements in their normal position when not A r lllcnt plate 13 1s mounted on the end ext d d, of portion 3 as indicated at 14, thisplate car- It is also an object to provide means for lying the eXpansible IHGIIlbBI'SDOW to be depreventing twisting of the expanding too r edelements, At 15 is shown a top piece adapted to seat It i till th r bj t f th i nti on shoulder 10, the formations at 16 and 17 to provide a stretcher of the character indi- 7 6mg complementary to the formations 11 .o cated that may be readily adjusted to stretch n 12 111 part 3. This p1ece is mounted upon a shoe at the pointer pointsv desired, that plateligat its end as shown at.18. In the will be economical to manufacture, strong nder slde of piece 15 is formed a recess 19, and durable, positive in operation, and highand in the forward end of 1ts upper surface 1 ffi i t i it ti l a li ti n, are formed arcuate sockets as 20 and 20a.

I th d i 7 Flngers 212la are identical in form and Fig r 1 i a l i of a t t h mounting. 1 Finger 21 is shown witha flange bodving our invention. 22 seated in socket 20, and with its outer side Figure 2 is a perspectiveview of the same lylng in the plane ofjthe outer side of base with parts removed. o J member 1 as at 23. Its bottom surface 24:

no Figure 3 is a side elevation of thecentral l stsuponbase 1 in part, the part 25 being so toe stretching means with the operating shoe flush with the bottom of piece 15 and lying i m I l parallel with the face of portion 3 of base 1 Fi 4 i a rear l v tion of th sa but spaced therefrom by shoulder 10 to form Figure 5 is an inside elevation of one of guideway 26. The finger 21 is held in place, :13 the laterally expanding stretcher elements. by means of a leaf spring 27 seated in a v Figure 6 is a plan view of the operating groove 28 in piece 15 and the said finger, and shoe. secured by screws; A short leaf spring 29 Figure 7 isa side elevation of the same, reinforces the upper end of spring 27 and In the embodiment of the invention asherethe springs snugly fitted in the groove 28 an in disclosed we show at 1 a base member as in order to prevent the finger twisting reladesigned for use in a womans' shoe and havtire to the piece 15. The fingers 21-21ahave ing the following characteristics. The porcam grooves as 30-30a formed in their parts tions 2 and 3. are disposed in angular relation 25-25a in complementary relation to each to each other, the bottom portion'2 having other and as a continuation of recess 19. A aflat upper surface and having similar angua'roove 31 31a is also formed crosswise of lar recesses formed in its sides as shown at fingers 2121a and in theirlower surfaces iand 4a. A slot 5 is formed in portion 2 24-2404.- crosswise therethrough. At 32-32a are shown the two expansible The upstanding angular portion 8 has a side elements having their outer surfaces recess 6 formed in its face, the central porshapedto the general conformation of the loo is advancedthe parts 212-1a and 3232a 7 shoe, and each element having acam' surface at 3333a formed in its inner surface as shown. These elements are mounted upon I ing in any direction other than in the plane of the base. v

7 The spreading of these several resiliently mounted elements is efi'ected by means of a shoe 37 having a top rib 38 adapted to slide in recess 19 and cam groove 30a, laterally extending arms 3939a adapted to pass through guideways 26-26a and engage cam surfaces 3333a, and a heel adapted to enage the bottom 7 of part 3 or the cam suraces 8-8 as desired. The heel 40 has a squarehole l l formed in the top thereof to engage a square peg 42 on shoe 37 and is secured in place by a screw 43. A spring 44 is placed in the heel to bear against the shoe so that when the screw is loosened the heel Zmay'be slipped off of thepeg and turned at right angles to its first position and again secured in position without having to pull it away from the shoe. The heel is oblong in shape whereby to slide between the cam surfaces when in one position and to ride upo them when in the other position.

The operating rod 45 is connected to the 1 shoe as shown'at 46 and engages a threaded I nut 47 in recess 17-12.

v When the device is assembled as describe the several resiliently mounted members are i spread by advancing the shoe 37 and returned to their normal positions by'retracting the same. In advancing the shoe with the heel 40 in the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 the elements 32':32a arespread against the tension of spring 35 by the arms 3939a opcratingv against the cam surfaces 3333a, the engagingguides 3636a and slot 5 preventing the. same from working upwardly. In this movement the heel 40engages-the cam grooves 30 '30a"land' spreads the fingers V 21-21(1 laterally. When theshoe is fully we have herein shown and described but one I specific retracted the heel 40 may be turned into the .pQSltlOIl ShOWIl in Figures 6 and 7 by operating through opening 9, then when the shoe are spread laterally and at the same time the heel rides up on cam shoulders 8 and spreads the central assembly 15'2121a upwardly.

-' It is'to be understood, of course, that while embodiment of the invention, changes in form, construction, and method of assembly andoperation 'may be made withinthe scope of the'appended claims. I 1

We claim: 7 r 7 1. 'A shoe stretcher comprising a base, re silient means mounted thereon, a pair of opposed spreader elements connected to the resilient means and normally paralleling the sides of the base, a spreader element mounted ontop of the base and connected to said resilient means, means for spreading the elements against the tension of the said resilient means, and means inserted between the base and the elements for holding the op posed elements against displacement relative to their normal plane of movement.

2. Ashoe stretcher comprising a base, re-

silient means mounted on one end thereof, a pairj of opposed spreader elements connectedrto the resilient means. and normally paralelling the sides of the base, a spreader element mounted on top of the base and connected, to said resilient means, means for spreading theelements against the tension of said resilient means, means for holding the opposed elements against displacement relative to their normal plane of movement, and resilient means connecting the opposed spreader elements and adapted to urge the game into engagement with the sides of the ase. p r

3. A shoe stretcher comprising, a base, resilient means mounted on one end thereof, said base having a guidewayformed therein crosswise thereof and adjacent its other end, apair of opposed spreader elements connected to the resilient means and normally parallelingthe sides of the base and having arms thereon adapted to slidably engage said guideway, a spreader element. mounted on top'of the, base and connected to said re'sil-- ient means, and means for spreading the elements against the tensionof said resilient 4. In a stretcher .of rthe. character described, a top spreader element having shoulders formed in one end of its upper surface, said shoulders having arcuate inner edges oppositely disposed with relation to each other, a pair of oppositelydisposed fingers abutting the top element Tand having shoulders formed thereon to seat in the shoulders in' said topelement, and spring means mountedon the sides of the top element to engage the outer sides of the fingers to urge them toward each other, the said top member having a groove formed in its under side,

and said fingers having cam grooves formed in their opposing sides in continuation of the groove in the top.

, 5. In a stretcher of the character described, aspreader shoe having an upstandingrib thereon and provided with oppositely disposed laterally diercted arms, and an oblong heel member adjustably mounted on the side opposite said rib. 7 v

6. In a stretcher of the character described,a spreader-shoe having an oblong heel member adjustably mounted on one side thereof, releasable means for securing the member in position, and resilient means adapted to urge the member away from the shoe when released.

7 A shoe stretcher comprising, a base having a centrally disposed groove formed longitudinally therein adjacent one end and having cam surfaces formed on either side of the groove, resilient means mounted on said end of the base, spreader elements mounted on the resilient means to seat against the base, and a shoe mounted on the base to engage the several spreader elements and having a part adjustable to ride in the groove or on the cam surfaces to actuate selected spreader elements.

8. A shoe stretcher comprising, a base member, resilient means mounted on one end thereof, a pair of opposed spreader elements connected to the resilient means and normally paralleling the sides of the base, a spreader element mounted on top of the base and connected to said resilient means, means for spreading the elements against the tension of said resilient means, and resilient means connecting the opposed spreader elements at a point remote from the first resilient means and adapted to urge the same into engagement with the sides of the base.

SALVATORE CAMPAGNA. JOSEPH ALESSE. BENJAMIN LAVIANO. 

